Description
These Lemon Blueberry Cheesecake Cookies combine a tangy lemon-flavored cookie dough with pockets of creamy cheesecake filling and sweet homemade blueberry jam. Each cookie boasts a perfectly balanced mix of tartness, creaminess, and fruity sweetness, making them a delightful treat for any occasion.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Cheesecake Filling:
- 6 oz (170 g) cream cheese, cold
- 3 tbsp (38 g) granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
For the Blueberry Jam:
- 12 oz (340 g) fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar
For the Cookies:
- 2 3/4 cups (344 g) all purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated white sugar
- 2 tbsp (20 g) lemon zest
- 1 cup (227 g) unsalted butter, very softened
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated white sugar, for rolling dough in
Instructions
- Prepare Cheesecake Filling: Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper. Mix the cold cream cheese, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract in a small bowl using an electric mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy and sugar has dissolved, about 2 minutes. Scoop the mixture into 18 portions of 2 teaspoons each on the baking sheet, flatten each slightly to form thick discs, then freeze until completely solid.
- Make Blueberry Jam: In a medium pot over medium heat, combine fresh blueberries and sugar. Cook for about 40 minutes, smashing halfway through with a wooden spoon to break down the berries. Stir continuously towards the end to prevent sticking as the jam thickens and reduces to about 1/2 cup. Remove from heat and refrigerate to chill while preparing dough.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper for baking.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Create Lemon-Sugar Mixture: In a large bowl, mix granulated sugar with lemon zest by rubbing together with fingertips to release maximum flavor.
- Cream Butter and Lemon Sugar: Add softened unsalted butter to the lemon sugar mixture and beat with an electric mixer on high speed for 1-2 minutes until very light and fluffy.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract on medium speed until the mixture is pale and fluffy, about 1-2 minutes.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on low speed just until combined.
- Layer Jam into Dough: Push three-quarters of the dough to the side of the bowl. Flatten the remaining quarter at the bottom, spoon one-quarter of the blueberry jam onto it, top with another quarter of dough, and spoon jam again. Repeat this layering twice more. Using a rubber spatula, cut the dough into quarters and gently fold each section just enough to create pockets of jam, without fully mixing it in.
- Form Cookies with Cheesecake Filling: Use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion out 18 dough balls. Slightly flatten each dough ball, place a frozen cheesecake disc in the center, and carefully encase the cheesecake with cookie dough, forming a slightly flattened disc.
- Roll in Sugar: Roll each cookie dough disc in granulated sugar to coat evenly. Keep the cheesecake discs frozen until ready to assemble cookies.
- Bake Cookies: Place six cookies on the prepared baking sheet and bake for 11-12 minutes. Immediately after baking, use a large circular cookie cutter to gently reshape cookies into perfect circles.
- Cool and Serve: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Freezing the cheesecake filling discs is essential to keep the filling solid during cookie assembly and baking.
- Be careful not to overmix the jam into the dough; you want distinct pockets of blueberry jam throughout.
- Rolling the cookie dough in sugar creates a nice sweet crust and helps the cookie brown evenly.
- Baking six cookies at a time helps maintain even heat and proper spacing for these rich cookies.
- Scooting a cookie cutter around warm cookies gives a professional, uniform shape.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 230
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 110 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 7 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
- Trans Fat: 0.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 27 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 35 mg
